


Careful Business

by fizzfooz



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 10:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3689628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fizzfooz/pseuds/fizzfooz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josephine finds Cassandra arresting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Careful Business

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunspeared](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunspeared/gifts).



**Careful Business**

 

Ten letters written, three dignitaries greeted and shown to their suites, one trade deal brokered, five diplomats dispersed across Fereldan and Orlais... It was was high time for a break. Josephine glanced around her office. Then again. And once more. All was well; no runners, no spies, no assassins, no lost nobles bemoaning the layout of Skyhold. She peered into the corridor that led from the war room and listened for a few moments, then checked the space under her desk and in her storage chest. Sera could fit into some surprisingly small spaces. All was quiet.

 

Satisfied, Josephine returned to her desk to open the top drawer. She removed the false bottom. There, in pristine condition, were several perfect replicas of the inquisition. They'd been secreted away so quickly after delivery she hadn't had a chance to inspect them properly. She selected the Cullen, Cassandra, and Leliana dolls. After a moment, she also picked up her own replica. She allowed herself a moment to appreciate them.

 

The dollmaker in Val Royeaux had outdone herself. Every detail, from the scar on Cullen's lip, to Cassandra's serious expression was perfect. Josephine carried them close to her chest, candle holder blocking them from view just in case, and sneaked into the war room.

 

She pursed her lips at the ring mark on the Fereldan side of the map left by Cullen's mug. Honestly, would it be so terrible to use a coaster? She positioned the Cullen doll next to the stain on his hands and knees. For scrubbing, of course. Not to administer punishment.

 

Although...

 

She placed Leliana's doll behind it with its hand outstretched and muffled her laughter with her hand.

 

“ _What ees thees, Commander_?” she said in her best Orlesian accent. Which was, she had to admit, still very poor. “ _You have brutalised ze war table for ze last time. May ze sting of your backside serve as a reminder--_ ” Josephine gently thwapped doll-Cullen's bottom with doll-Leliana's hand. “In civilised society we use coasters. And we wipe our mouths with napkins. _Napkins_. Not the – _ze_ – backs of our hands.”

 

Josephine cleared her throat for her best Fereldan accent. “Yes, Leliana! Please pass on my neverending apologies to Lady Montilyet.”

 

“Is there anything else, Commander?”

 

“I'll never again traipse through your – Lady Montilyet's office with my muddy boots. Oh please don't spank me again.”

 

Josephine walked the her-doll into the scene. “And what of you, Leliana?”

 

Josephine imagined the doll-Leliana looked incredulous, rather than its permanent painted-on smirk. “Me? What have I done?”

 

“Lurking in a sinister manner when I address dignitaries, having birds squawk at unspeakable hours, trying to kill nobles when it would be just as simple to reason with them, and cleaning your fingernails with knives. I know you think it's intimidating but it's just uncouth.”

 

“Oh Josie, I didn't realise you those things bothered you.” The doll-Leliana hugged doll-Josephine. “I will cease them immediately. And I will _definitely_ attend your next tea party and bring you chocolates.”

 

“Me too,” said doll-Cullen, joining the hug. “You know that we both secretly adore the tea parties and are never lying when we make our flimsy excuses.”

 

Josephine sniffed. Perhaps she could procure a doll-sized tea set, or have hers delivered from Skyhld to home. Even if Yvette would be insufferable about it. She could disguise it under any number of documents from the estate. It, and perhaps a few other pieces to make the journey worthwhile. The shelves in her quarters were looking awfully bare and the commemorative doll of Empress Celene in her coronation dress was a collector's item. Practically a work of art. It would sit proudly on her dresser.

 

But she was getting ahead of herself. A delivery of any sort would take months and doll-Cassandra looked so dear with its little frowny face. She had to laugh at its utterly serious expression compared to the others. The dollmaker must have had personal experience with Cassandra to have modelled such an accurate representation. Or perhaps word of her had spread. She did often serve as an excellent deterrent in cases where diplomacy failed. Although, that was only one of her facets. Adorable though the doll was it hadn't captured her loveliness. Though Josephine more often saw her punching the heads off training dummies, in the rare moments she wasn't scowling she made an arresting sight.

 

Probably more arresting out of her armour. She'd look splendid in a dress. _Hm_. The Cassandra and Josephine dolls were the same size and the clothing looked removable. Josephine turned doll-Cassandra on its front and began to undo the catches.

 

Which was, of course, Cassandra's cue to burst into the war room. Thankfully, she didn't catch Josephine in the incriminating act. She had her nose stuck in a book, which gave Josephine just enough time to drop the doll. Although not enough time to hide the rest before Cassandra looked up.

 

Cassandra started violently and dropped her book. She kicked it behind her in what might have been a subtle gesture for someone with less leg strength.

 

“Ambassador,” Cassandra said. “I was... I was just...” Her eyes fell to the war table, and the dolls littering it.

 

“As was I,” Josephine said. She wondered which of them was blushing more. “Planning out war table operations!” Josephine demonstrated by having Cullen wield his tiny sword. “Like so.”

 

“I will... Leave you to it then.”

 

Cassandra fled. Josephine waited a few moments and then picked up the book from the floor. _Sowrds and Shields_. One of Varric's? She started to read.

 

***

 

If anyone had expected the rifts to unite Thedas against a common foe, they would be sorely mistaken. Josephine was overseeing the scheduled visitations to Skyhold, to ensure that the members of various warring families and regions never crossed paths. All while letting the right people know that subtle hints were to be dropped about how generous their biggest rivals had been when it came to gifting the inquisition. It was a delicate, logistical matter that wasn't helped by the rising voices in the courtyard below.

 

Josephine sighed, put her papers aside, and went downstairs to attend to the matter. She was expecting to have to have another word with Cullen's rowdier recruits, not to be greeted with a noble in Nevarran dress engaged in an argument with Cassandra.

 

“You'd be wise to speak no more of this,” Cassandra said. The noble was in Cassandra's personal space – punching distance, most unwise. His body language was proprietal; angled toward Cassandra, crotch pointed towards her, one foot stepped out to almost touch hers, one hand braced against the wall so he was almost but not quite barring her retreat. Cassandra looked as though she'd tear him in half given the opportunity.

 

“You've a nerve telling me about wisdom,” the noble said. Josephine crept closer for a better look at the heraldry on his over-jacket. “Especially after the stunt you pulled.”

 

“It was over twenty years ago and if your ego has still not recovered, it's never going to,” Cassandra said.

 

“It isn't about ego, it's about the inquisition's reputation. If you'd accompany me to a dance, show how you've outgrown that silly childhood stubbornness, perhaps I could open my coffers.”

 

Cassandra started towards him, and if she was honest Josephine would prefer to step back and let her punch the foolish man, but there was always so much fallout when a noble was spurned. It was best to control the situation.

 

“Lord Reynard,” Josephine said warmly, as if she hadn't witnessed that scene. “What an unexpected pleasure. So sorry that I wasn't here to greet you, but no one informed me of your arrival.” No one had, which meant he was here unexpected and unannounced. “Will your wife be joining us?”

 

“Lady Montilyet.” Reynard took a quick step back from Cassandra. His entire posture changed, slouched like a child caught with his hand in the biscuit tin. “No-- Ah, she's... indisposed, I'm afraid.”

 

“You are married?” Cassandra said.

 

“Of course,” said Reynard, as if he hadn't been all over her mere seconds ago.

 

“Ten years now, isn't it?” Josephine said. “Why, your lovely wife and I exchanged letters no more than a week ago. She wanted to talk to me in person about a contribution to the inquisition, but as you're here in her stead...” Josephine linked her arm in his and led him into the herb garden to discuss the matter further.

 

By the time he'd managed to extricate himself he'd promised a monthly tithe, grain for the horses, the pick of the wine from his vineyard, and a few sundry favours, on the understanding that his wife would never hear of this incident. Which, of course, meant that Josephine would have to make sure his wife only heard of his indiscretions without her hand being seen in it.

 

“I take it Reynard will be paying us no further visits,” Cassandra said.

 

“Not unless his wife drags him along by the ear to apologise,” said Josephine, taking the hand Cassandra offered to pull her to her feet.

 

“I... Thank you. I know my methods are not always helpful.”

 

“They are, however, most amusing. If you are free I believe I have a book to return to you in my office.”

 

“That isn't mine!” Cassandra blushed and shifted from one foot to the other. “Oh. I should have waited until you told me the title, shouldn't I?”

 

“Relax. We all have our hobbies. Please, allow me to give it back to you. There are several plot points I'd like to discuss.”

 

***

 

Discussing _Swords and Shields_ had turned into discussing their colleagues, which had turned into tea and lunch, and the next thing Josephine knew she and Cassandra were having evening snacks and wine. It was a refreshing change to spend time with someone so lacking in subtlety. Cassandra always said what she meant. Josephine hadn't realised how badly she'd needed a break into until she'd tried to analyse the label on the wine bottle for hidden inferences, at which point Cassandra had gently taken it out of her hand and poured her a glass.

 

“What will become of Reynard?” Cassandra asked.

 

“Absolute ruination,” Josephine said. “He's known to dally whenever his wife lets him out of her sight, and he has little claim to anything but the title she married him for. Anything he does own is a gift from her. Likely, it will all be rescinded after his recent activities.

 

Cassandra's eyes shone with amusement. Her cheeks were tinged pink from the wine. “You are surprisingly ruthless.”

 

“That's the least of it. I had him promise us coin and goods for my silence, which we'll collect until the news reaches his wife. By all appearances, we'll no longer benefit from the revelation, but his wife will be far more inclined to generosity when we press for her support.”

 

“I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or terrified.”

 

“Impressed, I hope.”

 

Cassandra's blush deepened. She bolted to her feet, knocking over her chair in the process. “I-- It's late. I must go.” And with that, she made a hasty exit.

 

***

 

The next morning, _Swords and Shields_ was still on Josephine's desk. She picked it up, not to read this time, but to analyse.

 

***

 

Josephine handed Cassandra the gift wrapped in coloured paper.

 

“What is this?” Cassandra asked. A slight sheen of swear on her brow was the only sign she'd been training for hours.

 

“A gift,” Josephine said, with a smile. “Traditionally, you open them.”

 

“For what occasion?”

 

The tone was harsh, even accusatory, but a blush still lit Cassandra's cheeks. Josephine made an encouraging gesture and Cassandra tore off the paper in a couple of swipes. Josephine had consulted Varric, Bonny Sims, a jeweller, and an armorer before she'd had the gift made. A normal necklace or brooch would be no use to a woman like Cassandra. The catches to small and fine for sword-calloused fingers. The links unable to withstand a shield bash. Besides which, Cassandra wasn't a woman impressed by finery. But she had hearts in the fretwork of her armour, so she wasn't completely averse to decoration.

 

“This is...” Copper marigolds gleamed in the sun on the surface of a small shield on a leather strap. It was designed to be worn under armour, as extra protection for the heart. “Why are you giving me this?”

 

“Adeline gave it to Donnen to show her affection.”

 

Cassandra reddened from the tips of her ears to her collarbone. “I don't want this,” she blurted, but she clung to it fiercely. “No. That was rude of me. I cannot accept this.” She held it back out to Josephine. “I cannot give you what you want.”

 

“What is it that you think I want?”

 

“I am not a knight in shining armour. Not in this. I cannot... woo you.”

 

“And if I'm the one who'd like to do the wooing?”

 

“I have never...” Cassandra drew the gift back into her chest, running her fingers over the marigold design. “I have been with only men, and few of those.”

 

“So, you aren't attracted to women?” It wouldn't be the first time Josephine had been in this situation, although she thought she was better at reading the signs now.

 

Cassandra shifted her weight from foot to foot, staring at the marigolds instead of Josephine. “A week ago I would have said yes, but it is rarely that simple.” Cassandra gripped Josephine by the waist and pulled her into a one-armed embrace. Josephine stood on tiptoes to meet the kiss. It was passionate, and forceful, and everything she'd thought it would be. When it broke, she was breathless. And Cassandra looked more confused than ever.

 

“I will not be a fling,” Cassandra said. “And I will not subject you to that either, but I don't know how to be sure.”

 

“You won't hurt my feelings,” Josephine said. She wasn't proposing marriage. Couldn't, in fact. But there was plenty the two of them could discover together. “And I will endeavour not to hurt yours.”

 

Cassandra gave her one of those rare, vulnerable smiles. “Then I accept your gift.”

 

**The End**

 

**Author's Note:**

> There was meant to be a sex scene but I've had a hectic few months and ran out of time. I hope this is still to your liking, Sunspeared. xxx


End file.
